Starting a new life in a different country is an adventure that involves change and adaptation to its customs, habits, traditions, etc.; but it also means new challenges and opportunities.
This is something that the international banking team here at CaixaBank are very familiar with. Present in 26 locations, spread across 18 countries, the institution has professionals from very diverse nationalities, backgrounds and walks of life who are also experts in adapting to new cultures and situations.
One example of this is Raúl Carmona, manager of the CaixaBank representative office in Santiago de Chile. Raúl met his partner while he was working in Poland and it was there that he had his first child. His second child was born in Chile, where the couple now live. His family live in Spain, which is where they go to spend their holidays, though Raúl is certain that he doesn’t want to move back there: “We like moving to a place and getting set up there for a short while. It lets you integrate into another culture, geographical region, etc. and get to know it better. The worldview that my daughter has at the age of 8 is something I didn’t have, even by the time I’d reached 25,” he pointed out. He and his family are always excited to experience change and they’re happy with their lifestyle, though they do admit that being so far away from the children’s grandparents is what’s really tough on them.
Another multicultural family is that of Pradeep, manager of the CaixaBank representative office in New Delhi. Pradeep was born in India and came to Madrid 20 years ago to study, which is where he met his wife, with whom he has two children aged 7 and 11, both born in Spain. Having experienced two different cultures from a young age has helped them a lot to integrate and adapt to a society which is becoming ever more diverse and international: “My kids have friends all around the world and this helps them to be way more relaxed about things and more understanding, normalising the other,” he said. What’s more, it means that they have mastered several languages: Hindi (to speak with the children’s paternal grandparents), Spanish (to talk to their mother’s side of the family) and English to communicate at home.
Barcelona-born, Claudina moved to Milan, where she went on to become the manager of the CaixaBank representative office for Italy. She lives there with her family: her Italian husband and her two children. They are all Mediterranean, but there are still cultural differences. For example, Claudina is surprised by her children’s typically Italian gestures, which they picked up from a young age, even though she didn’t know what some of the expressions meant.
One of the traditions that surprised Claudina when she arrived in Italy was how they prepare and celebrate weddings, "in style". In addition, it also highlights the role of mothers: "La mamma is very important”!
Iosif, manager of the CaixaBank branch in London, also has a multicultural family. He was born in Greece, his wife is a New Yorker and they have three children. They are currently living in London and speak various languages: Greek, English and Spanish (a large part of their mother’s side of the family lives in Spain). “My children prefer the Mediterranean lifestyle,” says Iosif, though he is more inclined towards a more British sense of punctuality. That said, when he moved to the UK, it was one of the most difficult things for him to get to grips with. Despite being far from one’s family, distances are more easier to deal with in today’s world; at least that’s the opinion of Valencia-born Víctor Granero, manager of the CaixaBank representative office in Paris.
Víctor, his wife (from Argentina) and their two daughters lived in Turkey for 5 years, but they have now moved to Paris. He still misses the traditions of that country, such as the New Year’s festivities when the Turks celebrate by smashing pomegranates on the ground: the more pieces the fruit breaks into and the further the seeds scatter, the better luck they’ll have in the coming year, since it is a symbol of abundance. The bonds you form in the country you live in leave a mark on you. When you are far from your family, the place you live is where you “end up creating your own little family: friends, colleagues, neighbours, etc., with whom you form stronger bonds. They’re the people you turn to when you need something or have a problem.”
For his part, Raúl loves Chilean culture in which friends and family get together very often with any excuse to have an asado (barbecue), “they’ve made a whole culture out of it”. For Raúl it was an easy custom to take on. For Claudina, it’s Italian creativity and she loves the fact that “almost anything can be sorted out over a cup of coffee.” One Indian tradition that Pradeep treasures is their way of seeing in the Spring: “Holi”. This is an event where men, women and children come together to celebrate the festival of colour, which involves throwing brightly coloured powders and dyed water as a symbol of happiness at the arrival of Spring. Iosif, meanwhile, said that they celebrate all kinds of holidays in his house, (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, etc.). What they all have in common is their international calling and the passion they put into what they do, even though they are far from their families.
Little multicultural issues
When cultures live side-by-side, it can generate some little issues that families deal with on a daily basis. Pradeep, a vegetarian, fondly remembers a tricky situation that arose when he came to study in Spain: his friends took him out for lunch at a ham-themed tavern.
Claudina admits that Spanish cuisine takes a back-seat in her family home in Italy; basically, when her husband wants to make amends with her, he cooks up Spanish omelette for her.
When Raúl’s kids want to wind him up, they talk to him using Chilean phrases. Raúl also mentions that, when there are international football matches, his children support Chile and he supports Spain.
However, despite all of these issues, having direct contact with various cultures is a great personal experience and an opportunity for the organisation where this team is working. For CaixaBank, having people of different ages, genders and backgrounds on the team helps to bring out the best in all of them.
